Fitchburg-area arts leaders urged to fight for funding

"Some of the best stuff is going on in Gateway Cities," said Matt Wilson, executive director of MASSCreative, during a presentation at the Fitchburg Historical Society on Monday night.

Massachusetts is unique because it has 329 local arts councils that fund grass-roots art projects, Wilson said.

"What we're doing is woven into the fabric of our communities -- it makes us who we are," he said.

Public funding for the arts is half of what is was 10 years ago at the state level. It is the same as 30 years ago on the federal level.

Arts leaders came together and realized that the arts community has no one to represent it on Beacon Hill or in Washington D.C., Wilson said.

MASSCreative was formed to fill the gap. Wilson, hired six months ago, is visiting cities and towns across the state and talking to local arts leaders and members of the arts communities.

When looking to increase funding, one of the most important things to do is share stories of how the arts impact the community, he said.

Before Wilson spoke, two Fitchburg arts leaders talked about some of the projects they have seen that have improved the community.

The downtown area has drawn students from Fitchburg State University to galleries and performance spaces.

Mary Chapin Durling, director of the performing-arts series Center Stage at the university, said students have interned at Rollstone Studio and learned what it takes to run a gallery or art space.

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Others created a documentary that followed the building and installation of a 3-dimensional artwork, "Pathways," on Water Street and used "Raging River, Rolling Stone," an orchestral piece commissioned by Fitchburg.

Public-school students have benefited from being part of the 21st Century Program, an arts-based after-school initiative. Jennifer Jones, the retired director of the program, used one group of Latino girls as an example.

Working with artist Catherine Judge, they learned photography. One girl, who was very shy, opened up to explain her photograph at the 21st Century showcase.

Since then the girls have painted a mural , "SPEAK UP! SPEAK OUT!," in the parking garage at Main and Mill streets.

"Including arts in school education teaches creativity and innovation," Wilson said. "Businesses want people who can think in creative and innovative ways."

Yet, "arts education is the first thing on the chopping block" when budgets are tight, he added.

Investment in the arts has a huge return on investment, drawing tourists to areas and people to events.

The economic importance of the arts is not being communicated to political leaders, he said.

The arts community has a large number of people involved, not just artists and organizations but the audience members who attend shows and plays and go to galleries.

If all these people are urged to let their elected leaders know how important arts is, "we're going to have the political power" to increase support for funding, Wilson said.

"We have a real opportunity to engage their voices so they can be heard," he added.

Instead of asking people to turn their cellphones off before a performance, he said they could be asked to call the governor.

"We just need to get the governor's phone number," he said, laughing.

Everyone in attendance Monday night received a blank postcard and was asked to write a note to the governor explaining how the arts have a significant impact on the community. The cards were picked up to be mailed by MASSCreative.

By the time he has visited arts communities across the state, Wilson said he expects to mail 500 of the postcards.

"The more personal it can be, the better," he said, "You've got to tell your story."

MASSCreative should be getting more help on the local level as the meetings progress. In addition to writing a postcard to the governor, all participants Monday night were asked to fill out a card indicating what areas they are most interested in working in and to provide contact information.

MASSCreative has a four-point platform for empowering the arts by advocating at the state and local levels.

n The state contribution to Cultural Council budgets should be increased by $3 million to a yearly total of $12 million. Local municipalities should provide matching funds.

n One year of high-school art should be a requirement for admission to the Massachusetts state university system.

n Increase the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund from $5 million to $10 million per year, and reauthorize it for seven years so artists can have a place to work and to show their work.

n Support legislative initiatives to provide benefits for creative individuals and substance to Massachusetts cultural districts to give artists the support and resources they need to do their work.

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